Life-preserver.



Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

1 J. B. & M. KASSER.

LIFE PRESBRVER.

APIfLIoATIoN FILED JUNE 8, 1914.

MMTESHE ,con 4 I 'rnurnn srnfrns narran@ ,oracion aosnrn n. nlnssnn .ann Monats nassna, or san rnnncisco, oanironme.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

To all wom t may concern# Be it known that we, Josnrn B. Kassen and MORRIS KAssER, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city and county of. San Francisco and State of California,

lhave, invented a new and useful improvenient in Lifelreservers, of which-the following is a specification.

Uur invention relates to life preservers wherein a garment or belt is provided with a series of inverted pockets adapted to be automatically inflated by the action of the wearer when dropping into the water, and to contain a series of water tight bags that may be iniated either before or after the wearer enters the water; and the objects of our invention are first, to .provide an improved life l preserver having inverted pockets adapted to be partially inflated when the wearer drops into the water; second, to provide a device of the character described wherein the air within the pockets will be confined therein bythe pressure of the water; third, to provideimproved means for further inflating the pockets; and fourth, to provide a life preserver that will lie perfectly flat and thus require little room for storage on board vessels and the like. We accomplish these several objects by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughoutv the said specification and drawings and in which i Figure l is a broken elevation 'of a life preserver extended or opened out, disclos` ing a plurality of inverted pockets therein, a separate inflatable bag in each pocket, and the connections whereby each bag may be inflated. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the life preserver as itwould appear secured to the person. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of one of the valves. v

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate a belt folded upon itself, so that the lower outer edge 2 is slightly above the lower inner edge "3 thereof. The belt 1 is stitched at intervals, as at 4, so as to provide a series of inverted pockets 5. Shoulder straps 6. are secured to `the upper edge of the belt 1, while suitable buckles 7 are provided on one end of the belt 1 and adapted to engage the straps 8 on the other end thereof. Within each pocket 5 is a deilatable bag 12 having a Specification of Letters Eatent.

. Patented Mar. 2, 1915.;

Application tiled une 8, 1914. Serial No. 843,893.

valve 1li secured to the lower end thereof and communicating with a circumferentially disposed tube 15, which runs along the lower edge of the belt and has the end thereof projecting above the belt as at 16. *When stored aboard-ship, the` bags 12 are deflated by removing the valves 111 therefrom and pressing the saidbags l2 in order to exclude all the air therefrom. rllhe valves 14 are then 1re-inserted or connected to the bags l12 and the belts 1 are piled upon each other, and being deflated and flat, will occupy very little space when so stored.

in using the belt 1, it is secured to the person and assumes the shape disclosed in perspective in Fig. 2 of the drawings. When the p'reserver is strapped to the person and the wearer drops into the water, a quantity of air will find its way under the edge 2 and into the pockets 5. As the person drops into the water, inasmuch as the pressure of the water on the bags increases in propor tion to the depth, it will be readily seen that the greater pressure will occur at the lower portion of the inverted pockets 5 and.con

sequently, the air therein will be imprisoned, l

such imprisoned air being sulficient to keep the body afloat.

In, order to increase the buoyancy of the belt 1, the wearer of the said belt may iniiate the bags v12 by 'blowing into the end of the tube 15, which extends above the belt, as at 16, and directly in zfront of the wearer. As the bags 12 are inflated, the pressure of theexpanding bags will force the air out of the pockets 5, but at the same time will `blow sullicient air into the bags 12 to take the place of the air so expelled from the inverted pockets 5. A valve 14 is provided for each bag 12, for the purpose of admitting the air thereto, but is adapted to prevent the escape of the air from the said bags 12. This arrangement is provided so that all of thebags will have an equal buoyancy. For instance, if the person in the water should llean to the right side,` the increased presfrom one ofthe bags into one of the adjoining bags, it is evident that the belt will have its buoyancy equally distributed and the. person will be suspended in the water in an upward position. A further advantage of the belt, herein described, is that should av portion of the air escape from the bags, renwashed, by unfastening the clasp buttons' l0 at the lower edges of the pockets 5, the

tube 15 and bags 12 may be easily removed therefrom, so that the said bags 12 and tubes 15 will ,not be injured by the washing or from being passed through a wringer. After washing the device the bags 12 and tubes 15 may be easilyinserted -into their proper positions and the bags 12 retained in their buttons 1 It is obvious from the foregoing that We have provided an improved life preserver, which will be-automatically inflated when the wearer drops into the water; also means forv further inflatingthe preserver, eitherv before or after the wearer is in the water.

We are aware that the present state of the ar't discloses life preservers having pockets arranged to contain inflated bags therein, we therefore do not wish to claim as our invention sucha combination broadly, but

What we do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A life pockets being open at their lower ends and having the inner sides thereof extending bepockets 5 by fastening the clasp 4 preserver comprising a belt hav-` v mg a plurality of pockets therein, said low the-outer sides; and means for inflating the pockets..

2. A life preserver comprising a belthaving a plurality of pockets therein open at the lower ends thereof, the inner sides of the said pockets extending below the bottom of the outer sides thereof; inflatable bags within the pockets; and means for inflating the inflatable bags.

3. A life preserver comprising a belt hav-v ing a` plurality of pockets therein open at,

the lower ends thereof, the inner sides of the said pockets extending below the bottom of the outer sides thereof; inflatable bags within the pockets; means for inflating the inflatable bags; and means for retaining the air Within the bags when inflated.

4. A life preserver comprising a belt havingl a plurality of pockets therein open at the lower ends thereof, the inner sides of the said pockets extending below the bottom of the outer sides thereof; inflatable bags within the pockets; means for inflating the inflatable bags; and suitable valves adapted to retain the air Within the bags.

v5. A lifev preserve'r comprising a belt having a plurality of pockets therein open at their lower ends, inner sides of the said pockets extending below. the bottom of the said pockets; inflatable bags within the pockets; a suitable valve secured to each bag and adapted to retain the air therein; and a tube'extending above the top of the front portion of the belt and connected with all of the valves secured to the bags and adapted to inflate the said bags through the valves.

In witness whereof, we hereunto set`our signatures in the presence of two subscribing Bannion Moons, JAMES T. MCCUE.

` witnesses. 

